Legion and MoD announce new recovery centres for injured Service people
11 February 2010
The Royal British Legion is investing £20 million to place it at the forefront of caring for the wounded of current conflicts, Director General Chris Simpkins announced on today.
The Legion will be providing for the operation of Personnel Recovery Centres across the country, he said. It will also be an active partner in meeting the specific welfare needs of Service personnel during their recovery, as well as providing support to their families.
"This announcement comes in the same week as the culmination of the Legion's campaign to improve the compensation scheme for wounded personnel, and on the heels of our introduction of a free, independent legal advice scheme for bereaved families," Mr Simpkins said. "These are major achievements for the care and support of the Afghan and Iraq generations of our serving personnel."
"The Legion has never been more active in its dual role of caring and campaigning for our British Armed Forces and their families."
This year alone, the Legion will spend more than £72 million providing assistance to over 160,000 serving and ex-serving Armed Forces personnel and their families, as well as campaigning on their behalf. The Legion will be partnering in the recovery centres with other Armed Forces charities, including Help for Heroes, which is investing £20 million in the construction of the purpose-built centres, to be located in the garrison centres of Colchester, Tidworth, Catterick and Edinburgh.
The centres will be operated by the British Army in partnership with The Royal British Legion. The first of these, in Colchester, is expected to open in Spring 2011.
Mr Simpkins said the Legion is ideally suited to provide for wounded personnel during their recovery and to prepare them for return to duty if possible, or for a smooth transition to civilian life.
"Given the Legion's extensive experience in rehabilitating wounded personnel and in assisting many thousands in their resettlement to civilian careers, we were a natural choice as operating partner for the recovery centres," said Mr Simpkins. "We are delighted to have this opportunity to assist our wounded heroes and to show them the nation's grateful support."
The Royal British Legion is also planning to fund a Challenge Centre that will provide adventure training and sporting activity, delivered by a dedicated 'Battle Back' team, to challenge the injured and act as a 'recovery accelerator'.
For further information please contact Robert Lee, Head of Media and Campaigns, at T: 0203 207 2235, M: 07798 654 071 or E: rlee@britishlegion.org.uk
